Hitch and clutch release device for tractors



May 29, 1923.

w. P. sTouGH i HITCH AND CLUTCH RELEASE DEVICE FOR TRA'CTORS Filed JunS 17. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 29, 1.923.

W. P. STOUGH HITCH AND CLUTCH lRELEASE DEVICE FOR TRACTORS 2 SIflee'cs-SheelI 2 Filed' June 1'7. 1922 INVENTOR. W//famPLSfol/7h [H2/6 A TTORNE) "5 Patented May 2.9, 1923.

- UNITE STATES WILLIAM STOUGH, OF SHERWOOD,' MICHIGAN.

BITCH AND CLUTCH RELEASE DEVICE" Fon Tancrons.

Application led June 17, 1922. Serial No. 568,927. Y

Tp all 'whom #may concern:

Be it known that I, 'WILLIAM P. SToUGH,

a Ycitizen of the United States, residing at Sherwood, county of Branch, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and `useful Improvements inI-Iit'ch and Clutch Release Devices for Tractors,"of which the following is a specification. 4 f

This invention relates to improvements in hitch and 'clutchrelease devices for tractors. y

The main objects of the invention are: First, to provide in a tractor an improvedautomatic clutch release adapted to lbe vautomatically actuated -when'the drawn implement lengages an obstruction such as likely to break parts were lthe pull continued.

' Second, to provide in aJ-tractor an improved `hitch device by means of which the draft of the l.drawn implement may be adjusted laterally.

Third, to provide a structure having these advantages whichis very easily operated to secure the various adjustments.'

vFourth, to 'provide a structure having these advantages in which the parts are so formed and arranged-that the strain thvereon is minimized, and therefore may be made 'of relatively light weight and at the same time' possess the requisite strength.

Further objects, and yobjects pertaining to details and-economies'of construction-and improved yhitch and clutch' release 'mecha nism.' l

Fig. III isa rear eleva'tionof the parts shown in Fig. II with certain parts sec-v vticned the'better to'show structural details.

`Fig. 1I. 4 Fig.` VI `is a ldetail section on a line corresponding to line 6-6 of Figs. II and IIIA'A turer to be operatedbythe foot of the opera- Fig. II is a fragmentary plan view ofy my' Fig. IV is a detail vertical-transverse sec# tion vonl a yline corresponding v.to line 3 I of Fig-II.` i' Q 'c Fig yV is a detail vertical longitudinal seci tion on a line corresponding to linef'f of' showing `details of the Lhitch `shifting for n, adjustin` mechanism.

Fig.

of Fig. I showing the connections for-the draw bar. l y i Fig. VIII is fragmentary perspective view showing the connections to the tractor l v clutch lever.

Fig. IX isa.' detail Side elevation of the clutch shifting'lever and the connections:

for the clutch lever thereto.

Fig; is a detail section on a line core responding toline 10-10 ofFig. IX. 1

In the drawing lthe sectional views are taken `looking lin the direction of* the little arrows at the endsv of the section lines vand similarnumerals of reference referto simiy lar 'parts throughout the severalfviews.

`Referring to the drawing, .v1 represents l the tractor and 2 the traction wheels thereof.y

3 Vis the drawn'implement such as a plowi.'

The tractor illustrated is a Fordson tractor and is provided with the usual clutch control y lever 4 which is designed by the manufactor.l Inf Fig. Ithisvlever is shownl in the pulley. In Fig. IX the leveris showny by 190i" position occupied when drivingv the belt full lines in l the position it occupies when power is applied to the traction wheels ,and

by dotted lines in its clutch disengagingv position. f f 5 `As the tractors are put out by the manu! facturer a' draft bracket is mounted on thev tractor body yat 5. This I-remove and sub-- stitute therefor a draft device supporting` frame 6 having a segmental way`7 vat itsf rear end and forwardly projecing armsl 8 connected by a cross kpiece 9. This cross piece 1s' offset 'downwardly' as shown in FigVII and slottedat IOto receive the drawflo'" y i bar 11 which is secured thereto by the draw bolt 12. On'they `rear end of this draw .bar

is a carriage 13 adapted to slide on'the way trated, formed ofa bar ofsteel folded upon .7, this earriage being, in the structure illusl y 651 i V,VII is a detail vertical transversefAv section on a line corresponding to line"7``7 itself as shown in Fig. V. 'Ihe carriage is secured to the draw bar by the bolt 14 vwhich allows for vthe swinging of the draw bar.

A draft lever l5 is pivoted at 16 to one side of the Carriage and is provided with a rearwardly projecting lug 17 to which the i V I, the lever being bent or cammed so that when pushed forward as shown by dotted lines in Fig. VI its lower end is swung out of engagement with the Ateeth 22 and the lever may be swung on the pivot 24 of the holder 23. Thelever is held in engaging position by the coiled spring 25 arranged within the holder, see Fig. V I. The lower end of the lever is connected by the link "2G to the carriage.

With this arrangement the pull or strain on the lever is received directly by the teeth of the segment and not through pivots or other supporting means for the lever.

The draft lever l5 is connected by the chain QT to the clutch lever 4, the chain being passed through a hole 28 in the supporting frame 8 and through the bracket 29 to properly guide and direct the pull of the chain. 1When the lever l5 is moved rear wardly the pull on the chain actuates the clutch lever to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. IX, thereby releasing the clutch. A spring 30 of sufticient strength to normally sustain the pull of the drawn implement is connected to the outer end of the lever and to the draw bar 1l.

To permit the actuation of the clutch by hand Iprovide a hand lever 31 which is pivoted at 32'on the bracket 29 and is connected to the clutch lever 4 by the link 33. The connection for the link 33 to the lever 3l is a pin and slot connection, the lever being longitudinally slotted at 34 to' receive the pin The connection for the` lower end of the link to the clutch lever 4 is by means of the hinged arm 3G pivoted to the rfootpiece of the clutch lever at 37 and to the link at 38. The lever 31 is provided with a spring 40 which is connected to the bracket 9,9 at

41 and to an ear 42 on the lever, the connection 4l being below the pivot so that as the f lever is swung the spring swings past the pivot thereby holding the hand lever in either its rear position as shown in Fig. I, in which position the clutch lever 4 is in pulley driving position. or in its forward position as shown in Fig. IX, in which position the clutch is engaged to drive the traci tion wheels.

In the event of the plow or drawn implenient coming in contact with an obstruction, the spring 3() yields peri'nitting the pull on the chain 27 and, through the connections to the clutch lever 4 described, releases the clutch. Thelink-connection for the clutch lever to the hand lever, or hand clutch releasing lever 3l, permits this movement without any movement of. or stress upon the hand lever.

Further, I provide a spring` catch 42 which@ is mounted upon the hand lever` at 43 and adapted to engage the head of the pin 35. which serves asa coacting stop, thusthev clutch lever is held in disengaged position until this catch is released'and the clutch reengaged after theimplement has been suitably manipulated to free the obstruction or as may be desired in freeing the implement from the obstruction. The bracket 29 is provided with a brace 44 extending fromy the bracket 45 provided therefor on the supporting frame 8.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodin'lentior adaptation` which I have found very practical. I have, Anot attempted to illustrate or describe other modifications and adaptations which might be desirable in adapting my improvements to other makes of tractors. as I believe the disclosure made will enable those skilled in the art to which my invention relates to end and with forwardly projecting arms` connected by a downwardlyV offset cross piece, a draw bar pivotally mounted'on saidA cross piece. a slide carriage mounted on said way andpivotally connected to said draw bar. a. draft. lever pivoted on said carriage and adapted to be connected to an implement to be drawn, a draft spring connected tosaid) draft lever, operating connections for said draft lever to said clutch control means, an.

adjusting means for said carriage comprising a segment having a series of teeth at its lower edge, an adjusting lever pivotally and laterally adjustable on said segment to directly engage said teeth, and a link connect-- ing said carriage to said lever adjacent its point of engagement with said segment teeth.

Q. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tractor, of a draft frame mounted on said tractor and provided with a rearwardly facing curved way at its rear end and with forwardly projecting arms.

piece, a draw bar pivotally mounted on said cross piece, a slide carriage mounted Aonsaid way and pivotally connected to said d raw bar, an adjusting means for said carriage comprising a segment having a series of teeth at its loweredge, anadjusting lever pivotally and laterally adjustable on said segment to directly engage said teeth, and a link connecting said carriage to said lever adjacent its point of engagement with said segment teeth.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination vwith a tractor provided rwith a clutch control lever,` of a draft frame mounted on said tractor and provided with a rearwardly facing curved way at its rear end and with forwardly projecting arms connected by a downwardly offset cross piece, a draw bar pivotally mounted on said cross piece, a slide carriage mounted on said way and pivotally connected to said draw bar, a draft lever pivoted on said carriage and adapted to be connected to an implement to be drawn, a draft spring connected to said draft lever, operating connections for said draft lever to said clutch control means, and an adjusting means for sa-id carriage.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tractor provided with a clutch control lever, of a draft frame mounted on said tractor, a swinging draw bar, a carriage mounted on said draft frame and connected to said draw bar, a draft lever pivoted on said carriage and adapted to be connected to an implement to be drawn, a draft spring connected to said draft lever, operating connections for said draft lever to said clutch control means, an adjusting means for said carriage comprising a segment having a series of teeth at its lower edge, an adjusting lever pivotally and laterally adjustable on said segment to directly engage said teeth and a link connecting said carriage to said lever adjacent its point ofengagement with said teeth.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tractor, of a draft frame mounted on said tractor, a swinging draw bar, a carriage mounted on said draft frame and connected to said draw bar, an adjusting means for said carriage comprising a segment having a series of teeth at its lower edge, an adjusting lever pivotally and lat-- erally adjustable on said segment to directly7 engage said teeth, and a link connecting said carriage to said lever adjacent its point of engagement with said teeth. f

6. In a device of the class described, thc combination with a tractor of a draft frame mounted on said tractor, a pivoted draw bar,

vided'l with teeth with which said adj usting lever maybe Vdirectly. engaged for support-l ing the ylever in itsy adjustedl positionsand av link connecting said carriage to said lever. adjacent its lpoint of engagement with said4 '-7. In afstructure of the class described, the

combination of a tractor provided' with a clutch control lever, a movable draft member to which the implement to be drawn is connected, a draft spring for said draft member, a pivotally mounted hand lever, a pivoted arm on said clutch control lever, a'link connectingsaid hand` lever to said arm, said link having a lost motion connection to said lever, a spring acting to yieldingly hold said hand lever in its adjusted positions, a clutch releasing chain connecting said draft member to said armon` said clutch control lever, and a catch on said hand levercoacting with said link for holdingfsaid clutch control lever in its clutch disengaging position.

8. In a structure of the classdescribed, the combination of a tractor provided with-a clutch control lever, a movable draft member to which the implementto be drawn is connected, a draft spring for said draft member, a pivotally mounted hand lever, a pivoted arm on said clutch control lever, a link connecting said hand lever to said arm, said link havingva lost motion connection to said lever, a spring acting to yieldingly hold said hand lever in its adjusted positions, and a clutch releasing chain connecting said draft member to said arm on said clutch control lever.`

9. In a structure ofthe class described, the

combination of a'tractor provided with a;

pivoted arm on said clutch control lever, a link connecting said hand lever to said arm,

said link having a lost motionconnection to said lever, clutchy releasing chain connecting said draft member to said arm on said clutch control lever, and a catchon said hand lever coacting with said link for holding said clutch control lever in its clutch disengaging position,

l0. In a structure of the class described,`

the combination of a tractor provided with a clutch control lever, a movable draft member to which the implement to be drawn is connected, a. draft spring for said draft member, a pivotally Amounted hand lever, a pivoted arm on said clutch controlr lever, a

- link connecting said hand lever to said'arm,

said link having a. lost motion connection to said lever,l and a'clutch releasing chain connecting said draft member to said arm on said clutch control lever.L

` 11. In a' structure of the cla-ss described,

the combination of va tractor provided with iso a clutch control lever, a movable draft member to which the implement to be drawn is connected, a draft Spring for said draft member, a hand lever operatively associated l5: with said control lever, a clutch releasingr connection for said draft member to said control lever, and a catch on said hand level' Inwltness whereof I haX'e hereunto set my hand and seal.

WILLIAM P. sToUGH. [Il Sg 

